Raw Food For Puppies | 10 Tips For Raw Meat Feeding Diet

We understand that feeding your puppies raw food diets can be extremely daunting! Especially when some of you are first-time pet owners and you want to keep your puppies as healthy as possible. 

Feeding Your Puppies Raw Food Diets

If you’ve been asking yourself questions like,

“When can I even start feeding my puppy a raw diet?”

“How much raw food should I feed my puppy?”

“How often do I feed my puppy?”

“Can puppies eat raw food and is it safe?” 

then, this is the article for you! Keep reading to learn more. 

 

1. Start Feeding My Puppy A Raw Diet ASAP

The sooner you start feeding your puppy a raw diet, the better. Since they are still developing, a complete & balanced diet will allow their body to build up their immune system. Puppies will also have less of the long-term efffects that kibble can have!

If your puppy is under 16 weeks old, we do recommend lightly cooking the meat around 6 to 8 minutes with a splash of water. 

If your puppy was fed kibble immediately after being weaned off the mother, you will need to transition him off from it.

 

Check Out: How To Transition Guide  | Raw Dog Food Diet For Beginners

 

2. Feed Your Puppy 2-3% Of Their Adult Weight  

The amount of raw food you should feed to your puppy is very important. 

You don't want to feed them too little because they might not get enough nutrients that they need to grow healthily. But, you don’t want to feed them too much either since this could lead to obesity, bloat, and skeletal problems.

We recommend feeding your puppy 2.5% of their predicted adult weight and not their current puppy weight. When they are at their good weight, you should be able to feel their ribs, but not see them.

3. Transition A Puppy From Kibble To Raw Food Slowly

Puppies are more likely to have an easier transition to a raw food diet than an adult dog. But, we still recommend that you transition slowly. 

Depending on the puppy, it could take upwards of a few weeks for them to adapt to their new diet. 

• Day 1-4: We recommend using 20% raw, 80% kibble
• Day 5-9: 50% raw, 50% kibble 
• Day 10-14: 80% raw, 20% kibble
• Day 14 and on: 100% raw!

 

4. Feed Your Puppy Frequently

Just like babies,puppies use more energy than adult dogs. Therefore, they will need to be fed often. 

Puppies also need essential nutrients that are important for your puppy to grow big and strong! 

The younger your puppy is, the more often they will need to eat. When your puppy is: 

• Up to 3 months old (12 weeks): it is recommended to feed your dog four times a day
• Three to six months old (12-16 weeks): it is recommended to reduce to three times a day
• After 6 months (24 weeks): it is recommended to give two meals a day 

 

Most puppies will eat the food extremely quickly. To discourage picky habits, remember to feed at regular times, and not to keep food out for more than 10 to 20 minutes. 

 

5. Understand That Raw Food Is Safe For Puppies 

Yes!Raw food is safe for puppies and is the healthiest way to feed your dog since it is biologically appropriate. 

Many people are afraid of feeding their puppies raw because of the bacteria that are found on raw meat. But, dogs have a higher pH level and shorter digestive tract than people, so the bacteria on raw meat that might give stomach problems to a human, would not do the same for a dog.

 

6. BARF Diet For Puppies

BARF diet, also known as “Biologically Appropriate Raw Food” or “Bones and Raw Food” was founded by a veterinarian and nutritionist Dr. Ian Billinghurst. The BARF diet generally includes 80% muscle meat, 10% bone & organ meat, and 10% fruit and vegetables.

Billinghurst explains that dogs should be fed the diet that they were evolved to eat; bones, raw meats, and greens. This is because dogs evolved from gray wolves. Dogs are 99.99% close to wolves in terms of DNA.

Have you ever seen a wolf eating kibble? Probably not! 

7. Enjoy The Benefits A Raw Food Diet Offers Your Puppies

Some benefits of a raw diet include: 

• Shinier coats and healthier skin 
• Improved dental health
• Smaller and less smelly stool 
• Improved digestion 
• More lean and fit dogs 
• More energy

Plus,feeding a raw diet is more of preventative care as well, since these benefits also lead to fewer trips to the vet. 

Read More: The Benefits Of Raw Food Diet 

 

8. Cali Raw Diet - Healthy Natural Raw Food For Your Puppies!

Here, at Cali Raw Nutrition, we provide great recipes that are not only nutritious but also extremely delicious and digestible for your dog! 

We provide differentformulas for your puppy, packed with protein and various supplements that are complete and balanced and are essential for the growth of a strong and healthy pup.On top of that, our fresh dog ingredients follow AAFCO guidelines, are USDA inspected, and are 100% human-grade. 

A common misconception by veterinarians that do not approve of a raw diet for dogs is that they believe it is not a balanced diet. Which is why Cali Raw makes it easy and convenient for your dog to get the right diet that it needs. 

Related Blogs: The Best Puppy Food For Optimal Health 

 

9. Feed Your Puppy Bones At 6+ Months 

Raw bones are very healthy, and they also help clean your dog’s teeth and keep their gums healthy.You can feed your puppy raw bones once they reach 6 months or older. Make sure that once your puppy is being fed raw bones, that are appropriate for their size. Someone should be monitoring them during their chewing time. 

Please remember not to feed your dog or puppy cooked bones, as they are prone to splinter and can lead to choking and/or serious damage to the dog’s stomach, intestines, mouth, or throat. 

Enjoy a raw meaty bone

 

More About Bones: Raw Bone Safety

 

10. Don’t Be Afraid!

We understand that it can be quite scary to feed your puppy raw, especially since there is quite a bit of misinformation out there.Dogs are very receptive to our actions and emotions. If they sense that we are concerned, then they will be too!Acting excited about feeding them will get them excited about their food. 

Hopefully, this answered a few questions that you might have about feeding your puppy raw. 

Read more:

• How To Provide Right Protein Sources To Your Dogs
• Calculate Meal Plan For Small And Large Breed Dogs
• Obesity In Dogs - From Overweight To Healthy Body Weight
• Best Dog Breeds For Active Dog Owners

Visit our shop: High Quality Pet Foods - Raw Meals That Your Dogs Love